Frodo Falls
by Lillia E
Summary: Before reaching Lothlorien, Frodo has an accident. He loses something dear to him, and the fellowship wonder if he will be able to continue on his quest. 3rd POV. Definite AU. very slight angst. frodo hurtcomfort (how cliché). no swearing, romance or MS.
1. A Bad Decision

Hello everyone. Lillia here. Lillia Ellese to be more specific.  
  
Okay, this is my first LOTR fic ever, well the first that I have ever posted and only the second ever that I've ever written WITHOUT an original character/ 'mary sue'. So please, be a pal and give me a break. : )  
  
Okay, also this fic is supposed to be heavy in the injury and angst department, but that's a really new thing for me to write, but I read it all the time so I might be okay.  
  
Oh yeah, almost forgot: a little movie verse, mostly book reference, but *serious* AU mostly. Um, no mary sues, a few original characters but they won't get in the way. (I'd promise you that, but I don't believe in promises so I can't.)  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings (I just wish I was talented enough to write something like that), the books belong to the great J.R.R. Tolkien who, might I add, is brilliant, and the movies well, I guess the credit goes to Peter Jackson and he would be brilliant, but he cut the scouring of the shire out of the third movie, oh and the other rangers, he cut them out too. And the brown wizard, cut him, and saruman's death, I guess that might be counted as in the part of the scouring, but he cut that as well, and he added arwen where she did not belong and cut out glorfindel, and he made faramir a sort of bad guy a little, and....well I could go on for a long time... but the movies are still wicked sweet and the third is the awesomest film I have ever seen in my life, the best movie ever... of course I haven't seen the passion of the Christ yet, but until I do it is the greatest! Ooh, waaay off subject now...  
  
Mmmm, okay now I always begin my stories rather slowly, so don't mind this first chapter's lack of action. It will get better.  
  
Oh, lastly before the story starts, this is right after the mines of Moria, and Aragorn decides to stop to rest for a while since Frodo and Sam are hurt.  
  
A Bad Decision  
  
As they finished eating, Pippin approached Aragorn. "So Strider, do you think that we might be able to stay here?" he asked hesitantly.  
  
"Stay here?" Aragorn asked.  
  
"Yeah, you know, for the night." Pippin continued.  
  
"I do not believe so, Peregrin, we must keep moving." Aragorn answered.  
  
"Yeah, but..." Pippin faltered for a second. "Well, umm...what about Frodo?" he asked suddenly.  
  
"What about Frodo?" Aragorn turned to look at the ringbearer, who was currently in conversation with Samwise.  
  
"Well, he's hurt and all and he needs the night to rest." Pippin explained.  
  
At this Frodo looked up. "I am quite fine, thank you Peregrin." He said with a slight tone of indignation. Everyone knew one of the things Frodo hated most was being fussed over like some invalid.  
  
"He seems well enough." Aragorn chuckled.  
  
"Oh..." Pippin flustered. "What of Sam? That is quite a nasty scratch he has. Perhaps he should not be allowed to journey on without more rest." Pippin said, grabbing at air.  
  
"Are you sure the real problem is not your aching feet?" Merry cut in, a tad annoyed over his young cousin's excuses and ranting.  
  
"No!" he paused. "Although it would be nice to stop for a while more...this is really about poor Sam." He added quickly.  
  
"Don't you be fretting over me, Master Pippin, my head has naught to do with me feet. I can journey on just fine now." Sam spoke up.  
  
Aragorn sighed. "I'm sorry, Pippin, but we must keep moving. Those orcs might be following us." Aragorn explained.  
  
Legolas, much to the delight of Pippin, then spoke up. "Aragorn, it is highly unlikely that any orcs have followed us this far and this close to the Golden Wood." He said reasonably.  
  
"Yes, yes! That is true! I was just thinking that!" Pippin piped up. "And sides, what of Frodo? I am sure he needs more time to mend." He added for extra measure.  
  
"Pippin, I assure you I am quite fine." Frodo stated firmly.  
  
"Pay no attention to him." Pippin said quickly. "Frodo is more than stubborn when it comes to things like this. He says that no matter what he feels." Pippin said.  
  
Aragorn was silent for a moment. "Well, one night's rest surely cannot cause much harm..." he said slowly. He looked up at the sky. "Besides, nightfall is nigh. I suppose it will not that great of a delay."  
  
Pippin beamed.  
  
****  
  
Okay, really short, I know. I guess this is just sort of a preface. The next chapter has a lot more things happen.  
  
Anyway, I accept flames, criticisms, and suggestions.  
  
I want 1 review before I update, please.  
  
If you want, email me:  
  
wanderingtracker@hotmail.com  
  
or talk to me on AIM:  
  
Cocomunk36  
  
~Lillia~ 


	2. Nighttime Walks

Hello again. Lillia here. Glad you liked the last chapter, short as it was. This one may be longer.  
  
Oh and just a note: my niece is currently borrowing my only copy of the Fellowship of the Ring, so I'm basically writing anything that has any reference to the story from memory and movie. Sorry, but she lives too far away to get it. Did I mention she's only 8 and reading my LOTR books? I don't know if that's actually really good or if I'm just proud cause she's my sister's kid and all. But I think its kinda cool considering I didn't read them until I was thirteen.  
  
Aaaaanyway, here's the next chapter:  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings. If I did, I would have been there during the entire filming, drooling over Orlando and Viggo *drool* oh shoot *goes to get towel*  
  
Nighttime Walks  
  
Pippin suddenly woke up. He looked around anxiously to see what had awakened him, only to see Frodo walking away from the camp. Pippin grumbled angrily. He had not worked so hard to get himself a night of rest just to be awoken by some sleepwalking hobbit! Even if Frodo was the ringbearer, he planned to wake him up and give him a piece of his mind.  
  
Still huffing, he got up, and quietly tiptoed around the sleeping bodies of the others, so not to disturb or wake them. That was when he realized that all of the others were asleep.  
  
"Should not one of us be on guard?" he muttered to himself. Then sudden realization hit him. It was Frodo's turn to keep watch. 'But then he could not be sleepwalking', Pippin thought. 'He should not be walking at all. What a guard he makes!' That's also when Pippin noticed something bright and silvery near Frodo's bedroll. 'Why would he leave his mail shirt behind?' Pippin thought.  
  
Now rather curious as to why Frodo was leaving them all, and without his mithril coat, Pippin quickly followed along the path Frodo had gone. Pippin was still rather sleepy, and didn't exactly stick to the exact path, so it took him a while to find Frodo. When he did, he was pretty surprised.  
  
There was a small lake out in front of him, not that large but he wagered it was deep from the look of the water. The edge closest to him was structured by large rocks and a tall cliff, whose steep side slid right into the water. He was pretty surprised by the fact that Frodo was sitting on top of the steep cliff. He figured it was about the height of five full grown Men, and hobbits were always naturally wary of tall heights, which explained why they themselves were so small in stature, but did not explain why Pippin's elder cousin was sitting up there.  
  
Pippin walked around the cliff until he was at a part where the side was least steep and the climb was not that difficult. He climbed up a short ways, carefully winding his way up the most convenient path, cautiously trying not to slip and fall into the lake.  
  
"Hey Frodo!" he called.  
  
After a moment, he answered, "Pippin?"  
  
"Yes, cousin, it is I!" Pippin responded with a laugh. He continued journeying upwards, until he could see Frodo. Going over to Frodo, he stood beside him.  
  
"What are you doing here, cousin?" Frodo asked, remaining seated.  
  
"Followed you." Pippin answered simply.  
  
Frodo looked at his young cousin, quite annoyed by this. "And why were you following me, Pippin?"  
  
Peregrine shrugged. "Wanted to see what you were up to. You left camp."  
  
"Yes, to be alone." Frodo said, a bit rougher than he had meant it, but he was annoyed and a bit angry.  
  
Pippin took the hint. "Okay...well I'm sorry I bothered you." He said softly.  
  
He went to go back down the cliff, when Frodo, feeling rather guilty now, called, "Hey, no, Pippin!"  
  
Pippin quickly turned, to look back at Frodo. As he did, he involuntarily took a step back. His foot slipped, he lost his footing, and fell.  
  
"Pippin!" Frodo shouted, jumping to his feet. He reached the edge just in time to see the young perian roll down the stones, off a drop, and hit the ground with a heavy thud. Quickly, Frodo went along the edge of the landing, to see if he could get a better view of his young cousin.  
  
Pippin had rolled near some bushes, so half his body was hidden from Frodo, but he could at least see that the younger hobbit was alive. He had obviously hurt his leg, though. If only he had landed two feet further, the water may have broken his fall.  
  
"Hold on, Pip! I will be right down." Frodo shouted down to his cousin. Frodo moved farther along the edge, unknowing closer towards the lake, as he tried to get a better look at Pippin.  
  
"Alright, Frodo. I –aaahh- I think I broke –ooh!-I think I broke my leg!" Pippin answered.  
  
"Hold on." Frodo instructed again. As he turned around, the rock below him broke off. In one instant he went from standing on solid stone, to air. Suddenly, he slammed down on the steep edge of the cliff, the sharp rocks stabbing into his upper back and shoulders. Frodo screamed as he slid down the side, the jagged rocks tearing through his tunic and into the flesh of his back, crimson blood staining a trail down the rock face. The friction of the dirt and stones burned him like hot fire, smoldering away his skin. Vainly, he tried to grab onto something to halt his painful slide or at least slow him down, but the side was far too steep and he was moving far too quickly. All he did was scrape and cut up his hands as he grabbed for rocks and edges. While attempting to keep his head above the ground and above injury, he twisted to an angle on his side, ripping up his right shoulder in the process. Unable to stop himself, the steep face ended abruptly, delivering him right into the lake. His last scream prevented him for holding his breath before he disappeared below the surface of the water.  
  
Trying to breathe in air when all that surrounded him was water, Frodo swallowed the frigid liquid and choked on it. He had never been a swimmer, but he could not even attempt it this time. Trying to propel himself upwards with his arms, he quickly found his right arm and shoulder roared with pain and simply would not obey him. His lungs screamed for air as his heart pounded harshly within his chest. Panicking, he kicked madly, struggling to get to the surface. But all this did was tire him out.  
  
Unable to fight any longer, and his lungs burning as if they contained fire within their depths, Frodo watched the surface drift farther and farther away. Then it seemed as if a great weight had been applied to his burning chest, and slowly was pressing down harder and heavier with each passing moment. The pain was intense and unbearable, until a dense, gray fog slowly descended over his eyes, clouding his sight, until a thick veil seemed to be covering his face. And then everything went dark.  
  
****  
  
Okay, so how you like? Its something pretty new for me to write, but I gave it a fair shot. How'd I do? Anyway, I got a couple reviews!!! : )  
  
kuramasgirl556: thank you!! You're so nice : ). Hope you liked this chapter! Kurama, as in from Yu Yu Hakasho (spelling?)? He's awesome.  
  
The Glazed Over Elf: thank you!! Yeah, Pippin is pretty darn cute, especially when Billy Boyd plays him, he does such an amazing job but he looks like he's like 12 most of the time as Pippin. And Billy looks so different w/o the curly hair and hairy feet. w/e anyway, you seen ROTK yet? Is Pippin's song wicked sweet or what?  
  
Anyway, thanks you two again! So happy, I love reviews!!  
  
Okay, I accept flames and criticisms, and the longer the review, the better!!  
  
I want...umm... 2 reviews before I update again, puhlease!  
  
Any comments, questions, suggestions, etc. email me:  
  
wanderingtracker@hotmail.com  
  
or talk to me on AIM/AOL:  
  
Cocomunk36  
  
~Lillia~ 


	3. A Big Commotion

Hey everyone. Lillia here. Got enough reviews, so now I have to update. Oh, and for people who point out things I get wrong: thank you so much for taking the time to not just read but critique my work. I will definitely note what you say and learn from it for the future, but unless the mistake was extremely serious like mixing up names or relations or something, I will probably not rewrite the chapter. I just don't have the time, and I think you lose your reviews when you do that, and wouldn't want to do that.  
  
Okay, I think I'm done rambling. On to writing!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings, or any member of the fellowship...just wished I did.  
  
A Big Commotion  
  
Branches scraped at his legs, whipping at him as he ran through the woods. Merry went as fast as his short legs would allow, but it was still mighty hard keeping up with Strider and the rest.  
  
Aragorn had gotten on his feet the moment that scream had reached his ears. Sam had been up shortly after that, and then their commotion had awoken the rest of them. The first thing Merry had noticed, when he was woken up, was the fact that the bedroll next to his, Pippin's, was empty, and the said hobbit was no where in sight. Soon after that, he also noted that Frodo was not around. 'Now where did they go off to?' he thought. Merry knew Pippin was not playing a prank or off on a hunt for food, for he would have woken *him* for that, not Frodo. And there was really nothing else important enough to Pippin to get him from sleep.  
  
Sam was more than curious as to where his master had gone, and Aragorn was intent of finding the source of the yells that had awoken him. Now Aragorn was leading a fast pace in the direction the cries had come from.  
  
They came out to a body of water, the edges shaped of rocky edges. Legolas, followed by Aragorn led them over to a precipice hanging over the water. It was high, but from what Merry could see, there was no one up there. Suddenly he saw someone moving along the base.  
  
"Pippin!" he shouted, seeing his young cousin crawling along. He had been focusing so much on moving quickly, without putting weight on his leg, Peregrin had not noticed the company approach. Pippin looked up, his expression worried. "Pip, what is it?" Merry asked, going to his friend's side, and helping him to his feet. "You're hurt, what happened to your leg?"  
  
"Don't matter. Strider! Frodo's in the water! You have to help him!" he said quickly.  
  
Aragorn stared at Pippin for less than half a second, before running over to the edge of the body. Pushing Sam aside, "You cannot swim, Samwise. I'll get him." He dove in.  
  
Merry tried to count how long he was under there, but there were far too many things distracting him. Sam was standing along the shore, starring worriedly, muttering self condemning insults and apologies to air. Legolas tried to convince him that his master would be fine, although no one was sure.  
  
Boromir was questioning Pippin as to what had happened. He himself was trying to take care of Pippin, but his mind was in the water, where Strider had failed to return to the surface, yet. It was strange. Really, he should have been panicking. They all should have been. But everything passed so slowly, every second seemed a minute, every minute an hour, and his brain, feelings, thoughts, everything had gone numb, preventing him from feeling much at the moment anyway.  
  
Then, with a loud splash, Aragorn emerged from the depths to the surface, a limp hobbit in his arms. As he walked onto land, Sam was at his side in a second. Aragorn gently laid Frodo down.  
  
Merry stood behind everyone else, who had crowded around the fallen ringbearer. Pippin was sitting next to him, unable to stand because of his leg.  
  
"What's going on?" Pippin asked.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Go see." Pippin urged his cousin.  
  
Merry slipped in beside Boromir, to get a better view. Frodo lay on the ground, unmoving. His face was pale as a sheet, and his lips and eyelids were a horrible shade of blue. He wasn't breathing, Merry realized with horror. Aragorn was kneeling next to him, and Sam sat by his head.  
  
"Oh dear Master Frodo. Come on now, Mister Frodo, wake up. Wake up for your Sam." He muttered, gently pushing Frodo's dripping curls out of his face. Frodo did not wake. Tears dripped down Sam's face, but he did not seem to notice them.  
  
"Will he be all right?" Merry asked softly.  
  
Nobody answered him.  
  
Aragorn leaned down to Frodo's mouth, listening for breathing. Then he laid his ear on his chest. After a moment he straightened, and then tilting Frodo's head back, tightly pinched his nose.  
  
"What are you doing?" Sam asked suspiciously.  
  
"Your master is not breathing. I must breathe for him."  
  
Without further explanation Aragorn covered Frodo's mouth with his, and exhaled twice. He let up, and waited a moment, before trying again. But after he moved away the second time, Frodo began coughing, and water spurt from his lips. Aragorn released his nose, and shifted the halfling up to help him rid of all the water he had swallowed. He laid the hobbit back down, as Frodo began to breathe on his own. His breaths were shallow, raspy, and short, but he was breathing at least. He was still unconscious, though.  
  
"Oh, Mister Frodo!" Sam cried, happy that his master was at least alive.  
  
Aragorn then saw the blood on his hands. With Legolas' help, he carefully turned Frodo over, and lifted his tunic. Sam gasped, and then began crying anew at the sight of Frodo's ripped up back. Merry merely gasped. Frodo's back was skinned and raw, many parts cut and ripped jaggedly. Bruises formed under raw, red, skin, and blood dripped from lacerations all along his right side.  
  
"Why in the Valar was he not wearing his mithril coat?" Aragorn said to himself. Then he seemed to snap to reality. "Gimli, get a fire going. Sam, go and fetch a pot of water to boil and several clean cloths from the campsite. Legolas, I will need your assistance." He paused, glancing over Merry's head to Pippin. "Boromir, tend to Pippin's leg the best you can. Merry...help Boromir."  
  
Everyone quickly did what they had to do. Merry went to Pippin.  
  
"How's Frodo?" Pippin asked, unaware of anything but the huge commotion.  
  
"I don't know, Pip. But I think he'll be fine." Merry answered thoughtfully. "How's your leg?"  
  
Pippin winced, as if he just remembered the pain. "I don't know...I think it may be broken."  
  
Boromir knelt by the youngest halfling. "Here, let me have a look at it. I am no healer, but I can tell what is or is not broken, at the very least."  
  
While they tended to Frodo, Aragorn and Legolas spoke quietly, in Elfish. (A/N: I do not speak Elfish, nor do I intend to look up a website to learn it just to write this. I also do not intend to make up words like an idiot. Therefore, I will just tell you they are speaking in Elfish, but I shall be writing it in English.)  
  
"Aragorn, do you believe he will live?" Legolas asked.  
  
Aragorn was carefully washing Frodo's shoulder. "He was under there a long time...We must get him to Lothlorien."  
  
"I agree...but will he live?" Legolas asked again.  
  
Aragorn looked up at his friend. "*If* he can make it to Lothlorien, then he will make it."  
  
********  
  
okay, this chapter was really, really bad. But I had no idea what to write. Please forgive me. Oh and I got more reviews!!  
  
The Glazed Over Elf: thanks! Lol. Sorry about the long wait for this update. Yeah, hobbits are cute, sorry I torture them, but I'm a lot better than a few authors I could mention. Thanks again.  
  
Arwen Baggins: thank you for reviewing each chapter! Glad you liked 1st chapter. Oh, and I do not *ask* for flames, I just accept them if I happen to get them. And really, your review wasn't much of a flame. Flames are cruel and point out nothing but hate, yours was more of...constructive criticism, which I don't mind. Okay, 1st of all... well I have no excuse for saying Frodo wasn't a swimmer. I guess the fact he grew up next to Brandywine escaped my attention. 2nd: yes, I knew Frodo was not to take off the mithril coat, but as I was writing the part about the flesh on his back getting all ripped up, I suddenly realized that if he was wearing his mithril coat, that was quite an impossibility. There was no way even jagged and sharp rocks could do anything to him besides bruise maybe if he was wearing it. So I just had him take it off, and I have a reason for this, I just haven't come to it yet in the story... I guess it just would have made more sense for him to keep it on and not hurt his back...but I don't know. Sometimes I don't think real straight, but I'll explain that it hurt him and that's why he took it off later. 3rd: LOL. Okay, that was actually meant to be sort of a joke. Or sort of a pun or wit or something, I don't know. You see, my friend Jessie is really short. And she says she's really short because she's afraid of heights, which she is, but its just a joke. And I've heard the joke before on tv and stuff, so I figured I'd just add it in. I mean, being afraid of heights obviously cannot determine your height, but you can say you're afraid of tall heights and that's why you're not tall, as a joke. I didn't actually mean it literally. 4th: okay, you got me here. Yes, you're probably right, cliffs are probably much higher than 30 feet, but I didn't want either of them to fall like 100 feet or something. And it wasn't really a cliff, I just needed one word to explain a bunch of rocky structures. And with the rules of erosion and shit, I guess it couldn't be a lake, but I never really understood all that stuff in science class, so I guess I overlooked it. I thought about a river, but I figured that a river would be too shallow and if it was deep chances were he would be drifted away downstream, and the Aragorn wouldn't be able to find him, and he would die...etc. so I made a mistake. Sorry about that, glad you caught it...I don't think I'm going to rewrite the chapter though. I don't really have the time. 5th: I hadn't really focused on any past injuries. I figured that he should be concerned with the injuries that he was getting while sliding down the side of the rocks. The thing with the shoulder hurting in the water...that was actually pertaining to his right shoulder getting ripped up because he was leaning on his side, trying not to injure his head, while sliding down. Actually, the only effect his past injuries had on this chapter was the fact that he took off his mithril coat because it hurt his bruises from the cave troll injury, which I am going to explain in later chapters. I didn't see a reason to explain anything else. I mean really, if you're sliding down a rocky side, with the stones and rocks ripping into your back and burning away your skin like sand paper, are you going to be more concerned about some bruises on your chest and side? I mean, I'm sure their pain rekindled, but I think he was focusing on other things. Anyway, thanks again and sorry about the mistakes I made.  
  
Xann: thank you! You're reading both my fics? Coolio. Glad you liked it! Yeah, I like stories w/injuries and angst... I don't know why, maybe because they're interesting and dramatic. Anyway, you do? Like looks like Elijah Wood? Or Elijah Wood w/curly hair and pointed ears? Sweetness! ... can you give him my number? LOL, I'm J/K!! but that is wicked sweet. Thanks again and hope this chapter was allright. Well it wasn't... but oh well.  
  
Calenor: thank you! Lol, sorry about the cliff hanger, (almost literally). This chapter wasn't all that good, but it at least told you some stuff about Frodo, so there you go :). Yeah I know, I like stories where Frodo gets hurt too. But he's not my fav character... I think my fav is Aragorn, but my fav hobbit is definitely Pippin. Anyway, getting off subject now... thanks again and you'll have to keep reading to see if Frodo makes it or not.  
  
Okay, thanks again, everyone!! I don't know when I'll update again, hopefully this week. But I'm not sure, I really have to update for my Outsiders fic and I have a final draft due in English on Friday... and I have a lot of work to do on that. So I'll update when I can.  
  
I want... 3 reviews before I update again.  
  
Flames and criticisms accepted. Long reviews treasured. All good reviews loved.  
  
PS I STILL do not have my copy of Fellowship of the Ring back, so like I said before, this story is not going to be perfect because I have no book to check things with. Sorry. I'll see if I can get the book away from my niece, which I doubt. She probably won't let me have it until she finishes it.  
  
Oh, is Peregrin spelled with an 'e' at the end? And when Frodo is stabbed by the Morgul blade, what does he cry out? Something about 'Elbereth'???? see, I am practically useless without my book!! *goes off to cry* (not literally)  
  
Oh one more thing, how do you get italics and bold to come up?  
  
~Lillia~ 


	4. Many Conversations

Hello everyone. Lillia here. Sorry about the wait. Things have been more than hectic at school. And I had to usher for the musical two nights, and baby-sit one night. I really had no time to spare to write at all. And this week I was off of school, but I babysat every day, and I recently got addicted to a pretty cool RPG. But finally I have a day off.  
  
Moving on...  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Lord of the Rings. Because if I did, I would've written the ending like this: although scarred, eventually Frodo got over it and thoughts of the ring fled his mind. He was able to live in peace and happiness in the Shire until the end of his days, occasionally visiting his old friends from the fellowship. The end. I think that's a good ending... but the real one really drives the message of the book home, and makes it more... I dunno memorable, and that is a good ending I just don't like how Frodo can't live in the Shire.  
  
Anyway... this chapter may suck, but I have WBS right now so give me a break :P  
  
Many Conversations  
  
Aragorn knocked lightly upon the door, before entering the room. The room was bright and perhaps larger than it needed to be. The walls were a dazzling ivory, the floor was a creamy white stone, and the ceiling was a very light hue of bluish gray. Not a single lamp was lit, but the sun shone brightly through the thin, gauzy blue curtains. The largest item of furniture was a grand bed, even by standards of Man. Therefore, the small halfling lying in it appeared lost amid a sea of downy, white sheets and blankets.  
  
Aragorn was not surprised to see Samwise sitting beside the bed, in a large chair that was propped up high so Sam could properly keep an eye on his master. Aragorn had once thought that all halflings, like Men, needed rest. But this had been proven false in Rivendell when Sam had kept a constant vigilance over Frodo, until he was forced to take rest. And so he had expected the loyal hobbit to be sitting there as usual.  
  
Walking over to the bed and the two halflings, Aragorn spoke quietly with said hobbit.  
  
"How fares your master, Samwise?" Aragorn asked, as he felt Frodo's forehead with the back of his hand. He was relieved to find that Frodo was neither chilled nor feverish.  
  
"Better than yesterday, Strider. He has not woken up yet, but he seems to be doing fine." Sam answered, trying to keep his voice optimistic and hopeful. Sometimes Sam would not let it show just how worried or upset he was, and this seemed to be one of the times.  
  
In truth, Aragorn was worried as well. He had hoped that Frodo had woken up by now. They had been in Lothlorien for two days now, and Frodo had not awoken yet. This was not a good sign, and Aragorn was not certain if Frodo would be well again. But he tried to stay hopeful, for the other hobbits' sakes.  
  
"I am sure you are right, Samwise. Frodo does seem to be doing better." He answered. Very carefully Aragorn pulled back the sheets and checked Frodo over. He had to measure Frodo's pulse compared with Sam's for a Man's heart and a Halfling's heart beat at a different rhythm. Listening to Frodo's breathing, he found his breath was still ragged and wheezy, as if something had scraped the perian's throat and lungs raw. He unwrapped the ringbearer's bandages and checked the healing of the wounds on his back. They were healing properly, but it would take time to mend them good enough for Frodo to even move well. Aragorn was most concerned with Frodo's shoulder. He had torn it up quite badly, and it would take more time to heal than anything else. He applied a soothing paste medicine and replaced the bandages with fresh ones. Done with that, the Ranger finished checking Frodo over, redressed him, and lay him back to rest peacefully. With a small smile he turned back to Sam who had watched the practice carefully, to be sure he knew as much as he could of his master's condition.  
  
"He seems to be mending well." Aragorn said, laying a comforting hand on Sam's shoulder.  
  
"Aye, Strider." Sam agreed.  
  
Aragorn looked around. "Where are Meriadoc and young Peregrin? Were they not here this morning?"  
  
Sam smiled then. "Ah, well you know them, Strider. Merry is down in the kitchens seeing if he can snitch some food, and Pippin is moping about in his room since he couldn't go with Merry, on account of his leg and all." Sam explained.  
  
"They never can stay out of trouble, can they?" Aragorn asked, amused.  
  
"I do not believe so, Strider."  
  
"Well, Samwise, I must go check on young Pippin now. I shall come back to see how Frodo is doing later. I must go now." Aragorn paused. "There are many nurses here who will take splendid care of your master. You may take a few hours rest, if you so desire." He suggested.  
  
"Aye, Mr. Strider. I will take rest soon." Sam answered. Aragorn did not even have to look at his eyes to know that he was not speaking the truth. The only way Sam would rest was if sleep snuck up upon him, and took him before he could prevent it.  
  
Aragorn simply shook his head, smiling softly at Samwise's loyalty and great friendship. He knew this would be a great aid to Frodo on his quest. Bidding another farewell, he stepped into the other room. This one was very much like the last, except that the ceiling was a soft lavender, the walls were more of a cream colour, and the curtains were a gauzy lilac.  
  
Only one hobbit was in this room, and he was lying almost completely beneath the covers with only a splinted leg showing. Aragorn walked over to the bed, and gently pulled back the covers. Two bright green eyes stared up at him, clearly disappointed.  
  
"Good day, master Peregrin, is it pleasant under there?" Aragorn asked, perhaps at times a bit exasperated by young Pippin's lack of maturity.  
  
"Good day, Strider. I'm sorry, I was expecting Merry. That's why I was pretending to be asleep." Pippin explained.  
  
"Oh, I see. Has he not returned from the kitchens yet?" Aragorn asked.  
  
"How'd you know he went there?" Pippin asked, surprised.  
  
"Sam was willing to tell me. I doubt he'll have to sneak off, though. The cooks will be more than happy to give him whatever he wants."  
  
"Oh." Pippin shrugged. "But that sort of takes some of the fun out of it...oh well. I will have to get Sam later, for telling you." Pippin paused, Aragorn imagined he was scheming up some revenge for poor Samwise. "I still wish I could have gone with him." For a moment Pippin looked sad, then he brightened up. "But Merry promised to bring me extra food since I couldn't go." He added.  
  
"That's very good. Although I doubt it would be enough food for you. But don't worry Peregrin, in a short while that leg of yours will be mended and you will be off stealing food and causing mischief with Merry in no time." Aragorn assured him.  
  
"I do hope so, Strider. I am very sick of sitting in this bed all day. I've had to stay here for ages." Pippin complained.  
  
"But, Master Pippin, you've only been in that bed for two days." Aragorn reminded him.  
  
"Oh is that all? But it seems like much longer." Pippin said pensively.  
  
"Well, perhaps you will be able to get out soon, if you'll let me take a look at that leg." Aragorn suggested.  
  
Pippin agreed, and Aragorn carefully checked the splint and the setting of the bones. After making sure it was still set correctly, he glanced over the healing of the other scrapes and bruises Pippin had received on his fall. There was a particularly large scrape from his palm to his elbow on his left arm, and many others on his person but they were all healing quite quickly, thanks to Pippin's youth. Soon after he finished, Merry came in with the two largest baskets he could carry, both filled with food. Legolas came in then and asked for a word with Aragorn, so Aragorn left the two young halflings with their meal.  
  
Legolas, Gimli, and Boromir were sitting in the next room, talking amongst themselves. They looked up when Aragorn entered.  
  
"Aragorn, how is the ringbearer faring?" Boromir asked.  
  
Aragorn decided to be honest with them. "To speak of honesty, I am not quite sure. He has yet to awaken, and he has improved little. I fear that the amount of time he was beneath the water and left without air has taken a deeper toll on him than I originally suspected." He answered gravely.  
  
They were silent for a moment, taking in the information. "But he has to wake up, does he not?" Boromir asked.  
  
"It is still too soon to tell if he will. And even if he does, I am not sure how well he will be."  
  
"I believe we do not put enough faith in Frodo. He is strong enough to come back to us. At first I did not believe it, but I have seen what strength the perian possesses." Legolas said.  
  
"I hope you are right, Master Elf, I do hope you are right." Gimli said grimly.  
  
They stood there in silence, each thinking of Frodo's condition and whether they believed he could pull through, when suddenly Merry burst through the door.  
  
"What is it, Merry?" Aragorn asked.  
  
"Frodo woke up!"  
  
******* okay, how lousy was that? I don't think it was really that good, and I'm not positive I got everyone in character, especially since my niece still has my book and so I cannot check how they talked to each other or anything, so sorry about that. Oh, I got more reviews!  
  
The Glazed Over Elf: thank you! Oh and thanks for the tip on Peregrin. I think I only misspelled it a couple times, thankfully. Thanks again and keep reading please.  
  
Calenor: thank you! Make sure you tell me when you post your fic, so I can read it. I love Frodo, but for some reason I like to read angst that is at his cost. Him and Pip. Anyway, hope this chapter was alright. No real suffering, just talking. Anyway, thanks again and keep reading please.  
  
Xann: thank you! LOL how can he look like Frodo if he doesn't look like Elijah? Elijah Wood is the actor who plays Frodo in the Lord of the Rings movies. Its okay, I use 'anyway' ALL the time, if you haven't noticed. I did update Blueberry hill and I will again soon, but I got some major homework due in a few days so maybe this weekend. I'm not sure if I can come up with more fics. I mean, I write a lot but most of it is definitely Mary Sue, and nobody likes that. Oh and I write a lot of original work. I'm going to post that stuff on fictionpress.com when I finish w/my two fanfics if you're ever interested. Anyway, off subject: thanks again and keep reading please!  
  
boromir: thanks! I'm going to email you as soon as I post this, so I guess by the time you read this you've already gotten it...so this is kind of pointless, but oh well. Thanks again and keep reading please.  
  
Arwen Baggins: thank you! Lol, yeah I guess if you went through a class things would just come to your attention like that. I don't mind if you nit pick, as long as you're not cruel about it, and you're not, so I don't mind. Oh, and about Sam and Aragorn knowing he couldn't swim... "Well your honor, the defense only has one thing to say. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the Lord of the Rings book was only a summary of their travels and therefore did not tell of *every* conversation the members of the fellowship had. So during a conversation one day, perhaps it was stated that Sam could not swim, probably by Pippin. There is no proof this happened, but then again there is no proof it did not happen. So members of the jury, I ask you not to convict this "innocent" fanfic writer simply because she typed before she thought, because perhaps Aragorn did know that. My closing statement is: you cannot walk through the wilderness and not speak. The most logical answer is that someone said that Sam could not swim during a casual conversation, and the prosecutor cannot prove otherwise. The defense rests." Lol, sorry. Felt like being stupid, but that is my excuse. Anyway, thanks again and keep reading please! Ps, what did I mess up in this chapter?  
  
Okay, thanks again everyone! Hope this chapter was alright. Next chapter might be out by next weekend, but I'm sort of focused on a guy right now, and then there is school, and that RPG, but I will try.  
  
I want...ummm...3 reviews before I update  
  
I accept flames and criticisms.  
  
If you have any suggestions, questions, concerns, ideas, etc. email me:  
  
wanderingtracker@hotmail.com  
  
or talk to me on AIM: Cocomunk36  
  
~Lillia~ 


	5. An Escape from Darkness

Hello people. Lillia here, yes I am alive. I am sorry about the wait, but I had more than serious WBS (Writers Block Syndrome) for this fic. I did not get enough reviews...but I don't really care about that. I need to write before the mary sues overrun and choke the very essence of what is a classic and timeless tale, but will soon dwindle and middle earth will die of overrun of invented characters. No offense to any writers of mary sues. I've read a few, when in short supply of other things, and some aren't bad. I actually read one that was pretty good, until one certain chapter...where after I stopped reading. But some original characters are actually original...but most of them are not...not that I really have a right to say anything...having written a mary sue in another genre...:P  
  
Disclaimer: I am not a genius, nor am I dead, so obviously not the great Tolkien. I am simply borrowing his beloved characters to use in my innocent story where they shall be returned back to him at a later date, with no harm done (maybe, hehehe).  
  
An Escape from Darkness  
  
Swirling darkness had encased the world, shutting off all light, sound and thought. Thickening to a point of dizzying comfort and stretching on forever. This was the existence for in an incalculable amount of time. Then the darkness somehow lightened a bit, and he was aware of a cool touch on his face. Black swirled into deep gray and hazy colors tipped in at the edges. A voice entered this swirl of darkness and entering color, and mixed in. The words it spoke held no meaning, but very slowly developed more clarity and volume. Then slowly he became aware of all things. He was lying in a bed softer than anything he could remember, and sweating under the weight of blankets. Then just as sound gathered more clarity, as did his feeling. Pain tore into his existence from all fronts, attacking at his back and shoulders in the form of sharp stings and burning that steadily gained strength. He found his breathe to be labored and scraping, his throat raw. Every part of his body hurt in some way he could not comprehend, and this sudden pain chased all aspects of his comforting darkness away until he was left in naked reality.  
  
Although the darkness had diminished, the swirling of confusion was still present. His main query concerned why he was in such pain and why he could not open his eyes to see what was happening. His eyelids felt as if they were weighed down by some force. After a moment of concentration and a great effort, they very slowly lifted to a slit.  
  
Instantly blinding, white effulgence penetrated painfully through the slit, forcing him to quickly flinch his eyes back shut. But after a moment, he decided that he had worked far too hard to get his eyes open and was not about to retreat, stinging light or no stinging light. It was a bit easier to open his eyes this time, and after blinking painfully at the intensity, he forced himself to keep them open. He could hear the voices again, and this time they were louder and all around him. After the white glare faded, he could make out colors swirling above him. They swirled around and around, fading and then darkening and then fading again before his eyes. Getting dizzy again, he blinked a few more times, and the colors slowly began to slacken their pace of swirling and take general shapes.  
  
The voices still continued their incomprehensible chatter, as he struggled to find meaning in any of it. A shadow passed over his eyes quickly, before something cool lay upon his forehead, and gently swept back through his sweaty curls. He soon identified it as a hand, and tried to lift into the touch as it offered a drop of comfort, but the slight movement caused a ripple of pain to spread down his neck and back, further feeding the fire there. He could not help a sharp intake of breathe at the sting, and this as well pained him. A shape darker in color than what had been there appeared over him. Forcing himself to focus upon this shape, slowly it cleared and steadied. He now found himself looking up into the deep brown eyes of a hobbit. The figure doubled in amount and then singled again quickly, before focusing almost completely.  
  
"Mr. Frodo?" Brown Eyes asked, his voice anxious and relieved at the same time.  
  
Frodo blinked again. Mr. Frodo? Who was he? He thought slowly. He looked back at the brown eyed hobbit...for that matter, who was this? He knew him, of that he was sure...he recognized his eyes and the humble deepness of his voice was slightly familiar. Concentrating, Frodo tried to focus his still slightly swirling thoughts, and fix on an inkling of Brown Eyes. Suddenly a barrage of images flooded his mind. Shutting his eyes, he tried to sort through the truant memories that offered him nothing more than quick moments of time. But he found what he wanted, none the less.  
  
He opened his mouth, and tried to speak, but found he could not. His voice came out as a thin, raspy breathe. He tried again, but the strain only caused a small squeak to emerge and nothing else. Finally he carefully formed the word, "Sam?" with silent lips  
  
Brown Eyes' eyes brightened, and he nodded. Frodo couldn't help smiling within his mind. So he was correct. He shut his eyes, and slowly memories began drifting back to him. He remembered the shire, growing up in Brandy Hall, causing mischief with his cousins, being adopted by Cousin Bilbo. As a matter of fact, after some thought, all his memories seemed in order. But that did not explain what he was doing here. His current position and painful condition was a mystery to him, but it seemed to him that he remembered everything else.  
  
Suddenly a new memory flashed in his mind, and this one was incomplete. He saw Pippin trying to speak to him, and himself rudely dismissing his younger cousin. Then he saw Pippin go to leave, before something he had said caused him to turn, and then slip. He watched the look of surprise and then fear quickly flash over his young cousin's face, before he vanished from view, over the side of a tall rock. He watched his cousin take a hurtling fall...because of him.  
  
Frodo was shocked, but he knew it was true. Pippin was hurt, and it was his fault. What sort of cousin was he? What sort of hobbit was he? He was thoroughly ashamed, and his guilt rose as a couple stray tears slowly appeared at the corners of his saddened eyes. Brown Eyes....or er...Sam...looked down at him, concerned.  
  
"Mr. Frodo? Are you alright? What's wrong?" Br...no, Sam asked gently, wiping away the stray tears with a handkerchief.  
  
Frodo tried to speak, tried to confess his wanton crimes to Sam, to the whole world if he could and if it could help what he had done...but all he managed was an airy gasp that ripped at his throat.  
  
Eventually, he just gave up, and slumped down into his bed of guilt, far too many questions flowing through his mind...and a strange longing for the darkness developing.

Okay, that's it for now. How was it? Okay? Horrible?? I need to know, so review peoples!! Oh, and I got a couple reviews!  
  
Vana E: thank you. Oh, I did try to email you to ask about that beta thing, but didn't work...twice! So I'll just ask now. Guessing that a beta is sort of like a proofreader (yeah, I'm dense:P), then I could definitely use one. especially since my niece still won't give me back my book. And my friend Linz talks like that all the time, and she also talks in elfish at times...I kind of want to, but I just never picked it up. Hell, I was barely patient enough to learn to read runes, so there's no way I'll ever be patient enough to learn elfish. Cool that you know some. Oh, and not sure about angst... not very practiced at it, but I'll try to keep it a priority. i know, hate the mary sues. Anyway, thanks again and get back to me about the beta thing, if you want. Later.  
  
Coolio02: thank you. Sorry about the long wait. Will try to update sooner this time.  
  
Okay, that's it. Thanks again, both of you. I gotta get going, gotta mary sue in outsiders I'm writing that I gotta update on. Getting tired of it actually. Might just kill her off so I can concentrate more on this...hmmm... anyway, cya  
  
Questions, comments, concerns, suggestions, etc, email me:  
  
wanderingtrackerhotmail.com  
  
or talk to me on AIM: Cocomunk36  
  
Lillia 


	6. A Realization

Hey everybody. Lillia here. I'm really sorry about the very long wait. I have WBS like you wouldn't believe. I probably wouldn't even be updating now if not for the fact that my mom is canceling our internet next week. So I have to update now, and I don't know when I'll be able to update again. Sorry.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings. I really, really, really wish I did. But I do own all 3 books, the hobbit, the similarian and all 3 movies on DVD, oh and a history channel documentary on it, and 2 movie posters...but don't actually own IT...such a shame.  
  
PS: --- is a change in perspective...but only slightly as this is 3rd POV  
  
A Realization  
  
Frodo shifted a little, uncomfortably. Brown Eyes had just stepped out of the room, to go get someone. That was fine. Maybe they could do something about this...this...this weight. Frodo had no idea what it was...but he had felt it nearly as soon as he awoke. This horrible...weight...upon his chest. His chest was awfully cold in that spot, as well. But mainly it was this weight that troubled him the greatest. It was all centered on one very small spot, so Frodo believed that it was something laying there on him...it wasn't horribly heavy, but he was very, very aware of its weight...but it was more than just a physical weight. He felt a weight, like a heavy burden on his very soul. Like a thick blanket over his heart, suffocating his very insides.  
  
Mainly, Frodo just wanted to know what this unknown weight was. He wanted to know what it was, what it was doing there, but most of all, how he could get rid of it. It left a fell presence in his mind that, try as he might, he couldn't evade. And Frodo didn't like this feeling. No, he didn't like it at all.  
  
Brown Eyes...or, wait...Sam came in then, and very shortly after another hobbit came running in, and this one was followed by three others...although they were not hobbits. Frodo tried to shift, to see them better...but moving even a fraction of an inch pained him terribly...so he waited until they came closer to the bed to see who they were. He didn't have to wait very long, because Brown Eyes immediately sat in the chair closest to his bed, and the other hobbit, after a moment of struggling, managed to climb up onto the bed, and sat right next to Frodo. Frodo had the immediate instinct to pull away from him, but his current condition, and the look in the amber eyes of the hobbit next to him stopped him from doing so. At least the other, taller, people who had entered his room did not come as close as Brown Eyes and the hobbit with golden brown curls, who after a little concentration, Frodo identified as his cousin, Merry, had.  
  
---  
  
Aragorn came over to where Frodo lay, looking up at him expectantly. Aragorn's step faltered just a bit when he noticed something different in Frodo's eyes, but he tried to hide it as he continued over to Frodo's side. He carefully helped Frodo to a sitting position, trying to be as gentle as he could, but he could tell that it still hurt Frodo a bit.  
  
"Hello Frodo." He said, sitting. "How are you feeling?" Frodo just stared at him.  
  
---  
  
Frodo stared at the Man sitting near him. Did he know this Man? After a moment, the answer cleared in his gray haze of a mind. He was supposed to know him...so...he supposed he knew this Man...but how, he couldn't remember.  
  
---  
  
Aragorn suddenly realized what was different in Frodo's eyes: the lack of recognition. Worried, he hoped that he had somehow imagined this realization. But he had to find out.  
  
"Frodo, do you know who I am?" he asked gently.  
  
---  
  
Frodo became worried...so he was correct; he was supposed to know this Man. He searched through his mind, through his memories, but soon he became very dizzy from this, and all he managed to get were a few short flashes of images of walking or talking to this Man. None of these images made much sense...but they proved the fact that he knew him.  
  
So very slowly, he nodded, just the slightest inclination of his head, because moving his head and neck hurt him terribly.  
  
---  
  
Aragorn nearly sighed in relief...before the dread wakened on him again. He didn't want to ask this next question, for he feared the answer...but he knew he must.  
  
"Frodo, could you tell me my name?" he said slowly. His dread deepened when Frodo hesitated, for a very long time.  
  
---  
  
Frodo stared at the Man, as if the answer were written on his face, then he stared down at his hands. He didn't know what to say...  
  
What he was to do, he did not know...he was scared to let all these people know how much he could not remember...then a new realization hit him: it really didn't matter that he did not remember. He could not speak anyway.  
  
With a soft breathe, Frodo attempted to speak the first name that came into his mind, although it was not the Man's, but all that came out was a very hoarse, undistinguishable rasp. Taking another breathe, Frodo tried again...but the tearing in his throat prevented it from being a very good try. It hurt so terribly, Frodo gave up trying. But he wished he could speak. He really wished to tell this Man to rid him of this fell weight on his chest.  
  
---  
  
Aragorn recognized that Frodo could not speak, and had a hunch of why. "Samwise, go see if you can get a glass of water for your master."  
  
After a reluctant look from Sam, showing how greatly he'd rather stay, he quickly scurried off to get the water.  
  
In a moment, he returned, a cup filled with water held with both browned hands. He handed it up to Aragorn, who carefully brought the brim to Frodo's lips. With a moment of hesitation, Frodo took a drink, and then winced as he swallowed it.  
  
Slowly, he tried to speak again...but all that emerged was a squeak, and a sort of very soft, raspy moan.  
  
Aragorn decided that it was too early for Frodo to speak, with the condition his throat and lungs were in. Then he spied a quill on the table near him, and was sparked with a new idea.  
  
"Samwise, go and get some parchment, ink and a good quill pen."  
  
Sam had the guts to look indignant at Aragorn, as he went off. Aragorn said nothing of the dirty look he received, as he knew that continually leaving Frodo, now that he was awake, bothered Sam. In a moment Sam returned with the ink, quill and paper.  
  
Aragorn set a piece of parchment in front of Frodo, and then placed a bottle of ink, and a quill within reach of his hand.  
  
"There, Frodo." He said. "Could you write my name, for me?"  
  
---  
  
Frodo looked down at the paper. Write his name? He decided that he had to write something...or they would know something was wrong. He went to lift his right hand...when he realized that it wouldn't lift! He went to lift it again, but again it stayed still. Starring down at his hand, he silently commanded it to move, but it stayed quite still. He couldn't even coax a finger to twitch. It was the most frustrating thing he had ever felt, not being able to move something that was his to move. He couldn't even feel anything in that hand.  
  
Finally, he lifted his left hand, which, to his great relief, lifted right away. With his left hand he picked up the quill, dipped it into the ink, and then brought it to the paper... the only problem he could see now was what to write... Shutting his eyes he tried to force his memories to come back to him, tried to make the thick, gray fog clear in his mind...but opening his eyes again, he realized that it was no use. He struggled to think of this Man's name...but the dense fog stubbornly prevented him from reaching it. His whole mind seemed a slight blur, and no matter how hard he tried, he could get nothing out of it but what it wanted to tell him. He searched his thoughts so hard that he made himself very much dizzier, and then his vision blurred. He shut his eyes suddenly as a low spasm of pain rippled up his back. The stinging began anew again. He really wished that Man hadn't of moved him. It hurt worse to be sitting, but he said nothing...could say nothing anyway.  
  
'They really need to be thinking about poor Pip! I'm the reason he is so hurt. I will gain my mind back soon enough, for now they should not worry about me' Frodo thought that maybe if he could shift the conversation from his own selfish welfare, then they could forget about him. Then a new thought reached him, and very carefully, and very slowly he wrote:  
  
_how is pip?_  
  
---  
  
Aragorn looked down at what Frodo had written. He sighed softly. Frodo had not answered his question, but Aragorn certainly would not ignore his.  
  
"Young Peregrin is doing quite well, actually."  
  
---  
  
Frodo smiled softly. He felt quite content. Not only had he successfully changed the subject off of his own selfish welfare, he had been graced with wonderful news: his cousin was alright! He was really afraid...that after that fall he had taken-that fall that he himself had caused-that he would be really hurt. He couldn't remember this Man...but something told him that he would not lie to him.  
  
He tried to speak again, but just could not, and he make a soft, choking sound. He stopped trying, as his throat hurt terribly. Why it hurt so, he had not a clue. His back seemed to be on fire and the stinging came back stronger now that he thought about it. Then the Man was looking at him. His eyes were gentle and concerned. Although he didn't remember the Man, he soon found himself very glad that he was with him.  
  
"Mr. Strider, is he alright?" who said that? Oh, it was Brown Eyes, Frodo thought.  
  
Whoever Mr. Strider was didn't answer Brown Eyes. Then the Man said "Are you in a lot of pain?"  
  
'Oh, he was speaking to me,' Frodo realized. Frodo stayed silent a moment. He was in a lot of pain. It hurt him to move in the bed, every breathe was more painful, his right shoulder was stinging and burning, and his head swam and seemed to be crushing in for no reason. And that horrible weight on his chest! But he could not tell the Man this...not any of it. He didn't deserve pity or sympathy. After all, just look at what he had done to his own cousin!  
  
Frodo shook his head, no, though it hurt to do so.  
  
---  
  
Aragorn stared at him. He did not belive this. "How do you feel, Frodo? Try to write it." He said gently.  
  
---  
  
Frodo lifted his left hand slowly, as he redipped the quill in ink. Then he slowly and carefully wrote:  
  
_i am fine i feel alright_  
  
---  
  
Aragorn looked down at his answer. Now he knew this was a lie. Then he realized why Frodo's writing was so messy: Frodo always wrote with his right hand.  
  
"Why are you not using your right hand to write, Frodo?" he asked.  
  
---  
  
Frodo looked away from the Man. '_How could you explain why, without revealing that you cannot move your right arm?_' he asked himself.  
  
---  
  
Aragorn looked down at Frodo. He did not like his silence. There was something wrong with him. Why was Frodo acting so strangely? It was usual for the hobbit to dislike being cared for...but this was way beyond that. He decided to try once more.  
  
"Frodo, who am I?" he asked softly.  
  
Frodo did not answer, nor did he move for his quill. Then Aragorn pointed to Boromir, "Who is he?" he asked. Frodo stared at Boromir for a moment, shut his eyes, but then remained silent. His hand never drifted near the quill.  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
okay, that's it for now. I'd write more, but I'm leaving for vacation in 4 hours. So consequently I will not be able to update for a while. Then my internet is getting taken away for the summer!! So don't know when the next chapter will be up. Anyway, got a couple reviews for this:  
  
Coolio02: thank you! Yeah, Frodo needs to talk to his cousin, huh? Maybe next chapter. Haven't decided what will happen yet. sorry about the wait and please keep RR!  
  
Arwen Baggins: thank you!! I thought about doing some stuff during the journey to Lothlorien... but I figured it wouldn't be very important, as Frodo was unconscious during it all. I guess I could've put some worrying for Aragorn and maybe some angst for Sam or something...but too late now lol. Oh and thanks. I learned the word 'effulgence' in English this year, and I couldn't resist putting some of my hard learned vocab in :P. anyway, thanks again and please keep RR! Ps: no mistakes? AWESOME!  
  
Anyway, thanks again both of yoU!!  
  
Lillia


End file.
